Johannesburg - An activist of the 1976 Soweto Student Uprising has criticised Youth Day commemorations, saying Khotso Seatlholo, Hector Pieterson and Tsietsi Mashinini must be turning in their graves because of the distasteful manner in which the day is celebrated.
Seth Mazibuko was one of the pupils from numerous Soweto schools who protested on June 16, 1976, against the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. He had just turned 16. He was arrested and spent five years on Robben Island.
Mazibuko, who is chief executive of the June 16, 1976 Foundation, said it was painful to see what the day had been reduced to.
Speaking on radio station Motsweding FM yesterday, he said that instead of remembering the sombreness - that many children had died at the hands of apartheid police - people were celebrating by doing embarrassing things such as adults going to shebeens in school uniforms.
“How do you ask (Afro pop singer) Chomee to sing for children while half naked on June 16? Some people have taken June 16 and turned it into a tender business. It’s a matter of: I got a June 16 tender to entertain people.
“Our children are saying let’s celebrate death”.
“I was listening to the radio this morning (yesterday) and there was a group of young people who said they were going to celebrate June 16 by staff riding and surfing on top of trains. Is that how we celebrate June 16? Oh please, South Africa! Khotso Seatlholo, Hector Pieterson, Tsietsi should be turning in their graves.
“(Hendrik) Verwoerd and (PW) Botha are clapping their hands and saying they have achieved what they said they would by making us feel greener pastures but not reach them. This freedom came with blood, not celebrations, please.”
Mazibuko said June 16 was a day to reflect and focus, when leaders of yesteryear should be connecting with the youth.
He said adults wearing school uniforms and drinking set a bad example.
“We don’t want children drinking alcohol at school and in their school uniforms but we do that on June 16. What are we saying? Where’s our dignity? We should be using this day to return humanity to people instead of encouraging what they are doing.
“The days of throwing stones were our days. Our youth should be gathering stones for reconstruction and development.
“The days of blood and bullets are over. These are the days of ballots and books. We should be talking about how do we deal with the the issue of drugs, where children are killing their mothers, their fathers for the sake of drugs.”
The Congress of South African Students has vowed to strip naked any its members found drinking or drunk while wearing a school uniform today.
It also warned tavern owners not to allow adults in school uniform to enter their premises.
“School uniforms must not be allowed into taverns, regardless of who is wearing them, as they represents minors.”
The Star